


Collapse

by RandyWrites



Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Bad Dad's Club is getting more members, Gen, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 02:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21439078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandyWrites/pseuds/RandyWrites
Summary: Prompt originally from tumblr. Artemis and Batgirl find themselves trapped and waiting for rescue with Cheshire. With no reason to fight, that leaves only one option; talking things through.
Relationships: Artemis Crock & Jade Nguyen, Artemis Crock & Jade Nguyen & Cassandra Cain
Kudos: 17





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The archer reached to touch the rock gently, before pulling back, thinking better of the action. There was no telling how stable the collapse was now, whether the slightest movement could trigger another slide to open the path, or to doom them to being buried alive.

She was trying _very_ hard at the moment, to ignore the more grim option out of the two outcomes.

“Artemis, if you could be a dear and call off your-” before Jade could finish the thought, Batgirl had her in a headlock, struggling any way she could to get leverage again to escape.

“Batgirl, _stop_,” she sighed tiredly, “We’re all trapped down here together. Don’t waste your energy.” Reaching for her comm to trigger an SOS, she took a seat on the ground and took off her mask in one fluid movement. “The team shouldn’t be too far off. We’ll handle Cheshire _together_ when they get here.”

The bat nodded, releasing the villainess who began gasping for air. As soon as she had recovered slightly, she sneered, “_Appreciate it, sis_.”

The archer’s only response was to pat the ground beside her, encouraging the two fighters to take their seats. Cassandra seemed a bit more hesitant than Jade, however, following a few seconds behind the assassin, who had settled for lying down across the ground to recover. She settled for a more meditative position; back straight, legs crossed, but far from relaxed. She was watchful of the woman who, moments ago, was to be considered a deadly opponent.

After a minute of companionable quiet, Artemis was the first to break it.

“Guess it’s a lucky thing… The wiring down here must be collapse-resistant, huh? Can you imagine sitting here in total darkness?”

“Would be nice to be trapped down here in _total silence_, too,” Jade bit back. 

“How do they work?” Cass signed, slightly pulling off her own mask to allow the archer to see her some of the changes in expression, a curious and mischievous glint in her eyes. “The lights?”

“Honestly? I have no clue,” she laughed lightly, “But I’m sure Nightwing or Oracle could give you the whole damn history of mines. You telling me Batman hasn’t made geology one of your top ten ‘_detective priorities_’?”

The bat began to respond, hands pausing for a second too long as she settled on shaking head as a simple ‘_No_’. 

All was quiet again, save for the electric hum of the lights.

“So… just how did you and your _super friends_ find out about our outpost here?” Jade asked cautiously after another minute or so. 

The archer shrugged, noncommittal as she leaned her head back against the mine’s wall. “Actually wasn’t there for that part of the briefing, for once. But I do know the Bats were a surprise.”

“So you _Justice Kids_ got your wires crossed?” Jade smirked, “That’s not usually like you. You all seem so-”

“Organized? Sh’yeah… _Seems_ that way…”

As her voice trailed off, Artemis sniffed at the air. It was still full of dust from the collapse, dry with a tinge of something metallic lingering. 

“So what’s the Bat’s story, anyways?” Jade hummed, “Haven’t seen a hero fight like _that_ since-”

“My story is-” Cassandra interrupted, her voice cracking slightly as she paused, “-mine to tell. And you’ll hear it… when I decide.”

Cheshire quickly open and shut her mouth before bursting into laughter, a slow sarcastic clap following soon after.

“So she does speak! That’s _one_ mystery solved.” 

“_Jade_-” the archer started. A chastising tone that could only be followed by two small words, a simple demand. ‘_Be nice_.’

“Artie, you know I only _ever_ mean well-”

“But how can you ‘_mean well’_ if… “ Cassandra paused, mulling her words for a second, and Jade sat up fully from her spot to glare at the bat then.

“No. _Go on_,” she said with mock encouragement, “‘_How can I mean well if I’m the bad guy’_? Is that it?”

The bat only stared silently, before nodding slowly, purposefully in affirmation.

And like her namesake, Cheshire smiled wide, a glint in her own eyes now.

**Author's Note:**

> i take prompts through my tumblr @dyketectivecomics (just be sure to check in the blog descript if prompts are open!)


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